WORCESTER - Negotiations between the city and the developer interested in building a slots parlor casino on vacant land owned by Wyman-Gordon in the Green Island neighborhood appear unlikely to continue.

City Solicitor David Moore says the city is prepared to negotiate with Mass Gaming & Entertainment LLC (MGE,) but the developer has blocked the next step in the negotiation process by not approving the consultants the city has chosen to help to negotiate the host city agreement. This has put negotiations at a stand still.

Part of the $400,000 MGE paid when it submitted its application for the single slots license in Massachusetts goes towards the city's fee for a consultant during the host city agreement negotiations. But the city doesn't just get to pick a consultant and then write off the cost. Before the consultant is hired, the developer gets to have final say on approval before negotiations begin and before the money is paid out. At this time, according to Moore, Mass Gaming & Entertainment has not approved the consultants Worcester chose.

This leaves negotiations at an impasse. There is no memorandum until a host city agreement is reached. And time is running out.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission wants to have slots licenses applications by Oct. 4, but it looks like, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette*, negotiations have come to a halt and a host agreement will not likely be reached.

"City Hall sources familiar with the situation said preliminary negotiations between city officials and Mass Gaming Entertainment, the developer of the proposed slots parlor here, have ceased and will likely end without a host agreement." -Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Worcester Mag, on the other hand, reported that a source told it there was a meeting between city officials and MGE last week and that once a "few issues" were resolved negotiations would move along.

Worcester Mag then reported today that time is running out on the negotiations.

Moore said the city is prepared to negotiate. But with time running short, he may not get the chance if Edward Moynihan has his request heard by city council Tuesday night.

Moynihan has been tabled to speak and request that council "advise the City Manager to end negotiations with Massachusetts Gaming & Entertainment and its affiliates immediately." [PDF] Moynihan contests that the developer has "objected to the city using promised money to hire a lawyer and consultant to negotiate the deal, still has not presented the Worcester City Manager with details about its proposal, and will not deliver on its promise of a hotel for Worcester."

If the city and Mass Gaming & Entertainment reach an agreement, voters in the city will take a vote on a referendum.

Mass Gaming & Entertainment is a subsidary of Rush Street Gaming, a Chicago-based casino developer and operator. Rush Street has said it wants to build a slots parlor casino near Kelley Square in Worcester on vacant land that Wyman-Gordon owns.